There is so much wisdom here that applies to our current situation. Here's one piece of wisdom you cite from John Hattie:
“It’s not the resources that make the change. It’s the thinking that goes on moment to moment in the classroom.”
That moment to moment thinking is sometimes called "contingent scaffolding"--we make decisions contingent upon how students are responding to the lesson. This is important because if students just don't get it, it doesn't matter where the 'it' came from originally--it needs fixing.
I'm glad you're out there contemplating all the important questions you pose.
I hope that any person on any “side” of this conversation would agree with the need to help teachers get good at contingent scaffolding. It’s at the heart of excellent teaching, and it should be expected alongside whatever resource a district has teachers using.
Of course, some resources require more scaffolding than others, and that matters when districts make decisions. But once teachers have put in the work to scaffold and adapt, it can feel overwhelming if they’re then asked to start all over again with something new every few years.
That’s where your comment really pushed my thinking: leadership has to be intentional about when and why to bring in new resources. Sometimes an overhaul is the right move, but when it happens, it needs to be done well and with a long-term vision. Otherwise, we risk exhausting teachers and losing the momentum they’ve built.
Thank you for lifting up such an important nuance in this larger conversation about scaling literacy.
There is so much wisdom here that applies to our current situation. Here's one piece of wisdom you cite from John Hattie:
“It’s not the resources that make the change. It’s the thinking that goes on moment to moment in the classroom.”
That moment to moment thinking is sometimes called "contingent scaffolding"--we make decisions contingent upon how students are responding to the lesson. This is important because if students just don't get it, it doesn't matter where the 'it' came from originally--it needs fixing.
I'm glad you're out there contemplating all the important questions you pose.
I hope that any person on any “side” of this conversation would agree with the need to help teachers get good at contingent scaffolding. It’s at the heart of excellent teaching, and it should be expected alongside whatever resource a district has teachers using.
Of course, some resources require more scaffolding than others, and that matters when districts make decisions. But once teachers have put in the work to scaffold and adapt, it can feel overwhelming if they’re then asked to start all over again with something new every few years.
That’s where your comment really pushed my thinking: leadership has to be intentional about when and why to bring in new resources. Sometimes an overhaul is the right move, but when it happens, it needs to be done well and with a long-term vision. Otherwise, we risk exhausting teachers and losing the momentum they’ve built.
Thank you for lifting up such an important nuance in this larger conversation about scaling literacy.